Public Notices & Public Review Documents

The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (SF Regional Board) recently issued a tentative order on nutrients in treated wastewater that would have significant financial impacts for Bay Area wastewater customers, including Central San’s customers.

To meet the SF Regional Board’s proposed steep nutrient reduction requirements, the Bay Area’s wastewater utilities will need to spend more than $11 billion—costs that ultimately will be borne by wastewater customers. Central San customers alone would be on the hook for $665 million—or nearly $5,500 per household. And because the proposed requirements do not reflect the science to date, there is no assurance that these costs would have the intended benefit to the Bay.

Further, the short timeline precludes Central San’s ability to implement thoughtful, multi-benefit solutions, such as regional recycled water projects that would reduce nutrient impacts to the Bay while also increasing precious water supplies.

Let Your Voice be Heard

The SF Regional Board will hold a public hearing beginning at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Here’s what you can do to let your voice be heard:

1. Sign the petition, which will be presented to the SF Regional Board at the hearing. In addition, please share the petition link with friends, family, and co-workers throughout the Bay Area who also will be impacted by the SF Regional Board’s decision: centralsan.org/petition

2. Attend the public hearing in person or remotely to make a public comment.

Attending the hearing in person: The hearing will be held at the Elihu M. Harris Building First Floor Auditorium at 1515 Clay Street in Oakland.

Attending the hearing remotely: To attend the hearing via Zoom teleconference, you must pre-register by no later than noon on Tuesday, July 9 (the day before the hearing). To register, complete the online registration form and select “Item 6” to indicate which agenda item you wish to speak on. The SF Regional Board Clerk will email you the link and passcode for joining the meeting. You do NOT need a Zoom account. Learn more about participating in the hearing remotely.

Please ask the SF Regional Board to:

• Grant a 90-day extension to the public comment period.
• Conduct Bay Area listening sessions to ensure the public is aware of the proposed order and to hear community concerns before adoption. 
• Follow the science to concentrate on where nutrient reductions will best benefit the Bay.
• Develop a detailed financial analysis to determine impacts to Bay Area residents including disadvantaged, senior, and tribal communities.
• Provide time and drive development of multi-benefit solutions that include both nutrient reduction and recycled water, and are worthy of the investment by Bay Area residents.